Rotary engine.



PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

G. W. WOOD.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1907.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

G..W. WOOD.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIGATION TILED MAY 31, 1901.

5 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

PATENTED JUNE 80, 1908.

5 SHEETS-BHBET 3.

G. W. W001).

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31 1907 qXWM wooeo @Hozwug No. 892,346. PATBNTED-JUNE 30, 1908. G. W. WOOD. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1907.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

j J 33' 7' I a j m witweooao PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

G. W. WOOD. ROTARY ENGINE. APPLIOATIO'N mum Mn 31, 1901.

6 SHEETSSHBET 5.

wane/500,0 @MWM QWJQZZM.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. WOOD, OF

ROTARY Specification of Letters Patent.

DENVER, COLORADO.

ENGINE.

Patented .Tune 30, 1908.

Application filed May 31, 1907. Serial No. 376,484.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. W001), a c tizen of the United States, residing in the clty and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Rotary Engines; and I do dec are the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accom anying drawings, and toy the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines.

One of the distinguishing features of my improved engine is that the fluid chamber in which the rotary pitman moves, is provided with what I will term a disappearing abutment, that is to say an abutment which acts as such until the rotary piston in whose path it lies, must pass through the space occupied by the abutment, when the said abutment automatically disappears or moves outwardly into laterally disposed pockets. As soon, however, as the piston has passed the space normally occupied by the abutment, the latter returns and performs the abutment function or the function of confining the motive fluid in the rear of the piston, whereby the said fluid acts advantageously in propelling the rotary piston.

The construction therefore includes cam mechanism for removing the abutment from the motive fluid chamber, and also cam mechanism for controlling the passage of the mo tive fluid to the said chamber, whereby the said fluid may be cut off from the chamber, when the rotary piston has accomplished any desired portion of its stroke, whereby the said piston is caused to travel the remainder of its stroke upon expansion.

The construction also includes valve mech anism for reversing the engine or whereby the motive fluid may be introduced on either side of the abutment while the motive fluid exhausts on the opposite side.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction as well as the function it is intended to perform, I will proceed to describe the same in detail reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which is illuseral wall of the motive fluid chamber 12.

trated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing, Figure 1 IS a top plan view of my improved engine. Fig. 2 1s a section taken on the line 22 Fig. 1 viewed in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3. In this view the greater part of the structure is shown in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section taken through the structure, the circular piston carrier forming the inner wall of the motive fluid chamber, however, being shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 44 Fig. 3 viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the cam disks serving to withdraw the abutment from the motive fluid chamber, the said disk being shownin connection with a cooperating bell 'crank lever, and the base upon which the latter is fulcrumed. Fig. 6 is a detail view-of one of the reversing valves. Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a central vertical section taken on the line 88 Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a erspective view in detail of the piston and ho lder.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a stationary frame work, consistin of a base 6, and circular side plates 7, which are secured to a cylindrical drum 8 by means of bolts 9 which pass through openin s formed in the side plates near their eririheries, and are threaded in lugs 10 witi which the drum 8 is provided. This drum 'forms the outer periplln t is flattened on one side as shown at 13, to form a seat for the reversing valve box 14 which is secured to the drum by means of belts or cap screws 15. To this valve box 14, is secured a steam chest 18 by means of bolts 19. The steam chest is closed on one side by a plate 20 secured by bolts or cap screws 21. W'ithin the valve box is located two valves 22 and 23. These valves are substantially alike but are 'iven different reference characters to facilitate the description of their operation and function. The valve 22 is provided with two curved passa 'es A and B while the valve 23 is provided with two similar passages C and D. The valve box is provided with two ports E and F adjacent the valve 22 and two ports G and II adjacent the valve 23. The valve box is also provided with a central passage I with which communicates a passage J, adapted to register with a port K of the slide valve M, when the motive fluid is passing to the chamber 12. Assuming that the reversing valves are in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and

that the slide valve is also in the position indicated in said view, the live fluid passes from the steam chest through the valve port 20, the passages J and I of the valve box, the passage C of the valve 23, the port H of the valve box and the passage M of the drum 8, into the motive fluid chamber adjacent the abutment 54. In this event the motive fluid exhausts through the passage N of the drum.

I-I, port F of the reversing valve box, passage A of the reversing valve 22 and port E of the valve box to the atmosphere. In this event the piston 24 together with the piston carrier 25 is traveling in the direction indicated by arrow A in Fig. 3. Now if it is desired to reverse the engine or reverse the travel of the piston, the valves 22 and 23 are given a partial rotation by the use of a handle 26 attached to a rod 27 whose extremities are pivotally'connected with crank arms 28 and 29 of the respective valves 22 and 23, each valve being provided with a protruding stem 30 (see Fig. 1). When the reversing valves are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the operating mechanism designated by the numerals 26 to 30 inclusive, is in the position shown in Fig. 2. Now to throw the two valves to the position for reversing the engine, the handle 26 is moved downwardly until the crank arm 29 engages a stop pin 31. When this is done one extremity of the passage B of the valve 22, will be made to register with the port F, while its opposite extremity will be made to register with the passage I, thus admitting live fluid from the steam chest to the motive fluid chamber on the opposite side of the abutment. In this event one extremity of the passage D of the valve 23, will be made to re ister with the port H of the valve box, whi e its opposite extremity will be made to register with the port G, whereby the exhaust will be delivered to the atmosphere from the side of the abutment opposite that where the live fluid is introduced. In this event the passages A and C of the two valves perform no function. This is also true of the passages B and D when the reversing valves are in the position shown in Fig. 3. 1

The inner periphery or wall of the motive fluid chamber, is formed by a cylindrical wheel 25, which has heretofore been designated the piston carrier, with which the piston 24 is formed integral. This wheel or piston carrier fits closely between the side walls 7 of the annular motive fluid chamber 12; and in order to form a fluid tight joint between the edges of the circular band or the of the wheel 25, packing rings 32 are set into circular recesses formed in the band of said wheel on opposite sides, the same being normally pressed outwardly against the side walls of the chamber 12 by springs 33. The piston is also provided with a gasket 34 forced outwardly against the inner surface brackets 38 are secured to the ledges 39 by cap screws 40.

Mounted on the shaft 36, between the side plates 7 and the journalboxes 37, are two cam disks 41 each composed of two plates 42 provided with cam members 43, which may e made to coincide as to position if desired. Each pair of plates or disks, however, is adjustable by means of a bolt 44 passing through a circular slot 45 formed in each disk. If it is desired to form a cam of greater extent than either cam 43, the two disks are adjusted as shown in Fig. 2, whereby a cam face of much greater length is formed than when the two cam members coincide as to position. The function of the cams 41, is to close the slide valve L at predetermined in tervals, and hold the same in the closed position during a portion of the travel of the rotary piston through the motive fluid chamber, the said piston traveling on expansion during the time that the cam acts to close the said valve.

One extremity of a lever 46 fulcrumed at 47, is connected with the stem 48 of the valve L, by means of a laterally projecting arm 49; while the other extremity of this lever is provided with an anti-frictional roller 50 lying in the path of the cam members 43 of each cam 41. It must be understood that there are two levers 46 which simultaneously cooperate to cut off the motive fluid from the chamber 12. As soon as the cams 43 engage the roller 50, of each lever the valve L is forced inwardly whereby its port K is thrown completely out of register with the passage J of the reversing valve box 14, the said valve being held in this position until the rollers 50 are released from the cam members 43, in which event a coil spring 51 serves to reopen the slide valve.

In a structure of this character it is important that the piston carrier and its piston shall constitute a balanced structure, that is to say that the weight shall be equal on opposite sides of the axis. In order to accomplish this, the wheel 25 is provided with a web 52 of suflicient magnitude to balance the piston 24.

The abutment 54 as shown in the drawing is composed of two members 53 whose meeting extremities may be constructed in any suitable manner to form a tight joint. Each of these members 53 is slidably mounted whereby it may enter a pocket 55 secured to the side walls 7 by means of cap screws 56. Each member 53 is provided with a stem 57 passing through a stulling box 58 formed in the outer extremity of the pocket 55. The outer extremity of each stem 57 is provided with a head 58 grooved to receive the bifurcated extremity 59 of an arm 60 of a bell crank lever 61 fulcrumed at 62 on a post 63 and having an arm 64 adapted to be acted on by a cam member 65 of a disk 66 made fast to the outer extremity of the shaft 36. As heretofore intimated there are two of these cam disks, the mechanism for operating the abutment members being duplicated on the opposite sides of the machine. In assembling the mechanism, the cam members 55 are arranged to coincide as to position with the traveling piston. Hence when the machine is in operation, just before the piston 24 reaches the abutment 54, the cam members act on the bell crank levers 61, and actuate the latter to throw the abutment members 53 into their laterally disposed pockets 55, in which event the stems of the abutment members, will occupy the positions indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.. The length of the cam 63, is such as to hold the abutment members within the said pockets, until the piston 24 has passed the abutment space in the motive fluid chamber. As soon as this occurs the earns 65 release the abutment members, and springs 67 acting on the arms 60 of the bell crank levers, serve to return the abutment members 53 to their normal position within the motive fluid chamber, in which position they are securely held until they are again withdrawn through the action of the cam and lever mechanism heretofore described.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my improved rotary engine will be readily understood. Assuming that the valve mechanism is in the position shown in F ig. 3, it may be assumed that the motive fluid, as air or steam, is entering the steam chest 18 through a conduit 68, and passes thence into the motive fluid chamber by way of port K, passages J, I and 1, port ll and passage N, while the said fluid exhausts on the opposite side of the abutment through passage N, port F, passage A and port E. Now as the motive lluid enters the chamber 12, it fills the space between the abutment 54 and the piston 24, whereby the said piston together With the piston carrier 25 is made to rotate, the piston traveling around within the annular chamber 12. The live fluid may be made to act upon the piston during any desired portion of its stroke, by the arrangement of the valves 41 as heretofm'e ex plained. As soon as the cams 43 act on the levers 46, the slide valve L is actuated to cut off the live fluid from the piston chamber in which event, the piston continues its stroke upon expansion. Just before the piston 24 reaches the abutment 54, the cams 65, act on the bell crank lever 61 to withdraw the abutment members into the pockets 55, thus allowing the piston to pass, after which the abutment members automatically return to their normal position within the casing and perform their proper function.

W'hen it is desired to reverse the engine or cause the piston to travel in the opposite direction, it is only necessary to shift the reversing valves 22 and 23 from the position shown in Fig. 3, to the reverse position or so that the lever arm 25 engages the stop pin 31 as heretofore explained. When the reversing valves are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the crank arm 28 engages an upper stop pin 31 (see Fig. 2). As the two stop pins per form substantially the same function they are given the same reference-character.

The valve 1} is provided with a small port T, to allow the operating fluid to get behind the valve whereby the latter is balanced thus obviating the necessity of exerting undue power in order to open the valve.

It is evident that power may be transmitted from the shaft 36 of my improved engine for doing work of any kind; and for this purpose the shaft may be equipped with any suitable transmission device or devices as gears or pulleys (not shown).

hen the engine is reversed by manipulating the valves 22 and 23, whereby the operating fluid is caused to enter the chamber 12 on the opposite side of the abutment, it will also be necessary to change the position of the cams 4] on the shaft 36 in order that the operating fluid may be cut off at the proper time. To this end. these cams 41 are made adjustable on the shaft by means of set bolts 69 threaded in collars 70 with which one of the cam plates is provided. By loosening these set screws, the cams may be adjusted on the shaft to harmonize with the changed position of the reversing valves. It will of course be understood that in a commercial engine, some suitable and convenient means will be provided for quickly changing the position of these cams at the same time that the reversing valves are manipulated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a rotary engine, the combination of a motive fluid chamber, a piston mounted to travel therein, an abutment movabl y mounted in the chamber, a shaft whose axis coincides with the axis of the chamber, a suitable crmnection between the piston and the shaft whereby the two devices rotate in unison, and bell crank levers operated by cams from the shaft, for removing the abutment from the chamber, tension means operating said levers for returning the abutment to said chamber at predetermined intervals, the said intervals being arranged .with reference to the travel of the piston, whereby the piston operating with each lever, and a spring exand abutment cooperate, substantia ly as erting tension on each lever and tending to described. hold it in contact with its respective cam,

2. A rotary engine comprising a casing, a substantially as described.

shaft j ournaled therein, said casing having a In testimony whereof I afliX my signature concentric fluid chamber or-cylinder, a piston in presence of two witnesses.

connected with the shaft and traveling in said chamber, a pair of oppositely moving GEORGE WOOD members slidably mounted in the casing and l/Vitnesses: constituting an abutment, a lever connected DENA NELSON, with each abutment, a cam on the shaft 00- A. J. OBRIEN. 

